Leeds Win Stratford Cup Thriller

West Ham United set up an Emirates FA Cup quarter-final tie against fellow Premier League outfit Leeds United by beating another top-flight side in the shape of Brentford on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Stratford last month. Well. On Sunday afternoon, the reverse happened, as the Hammers produced a remarkable comeback in second-half stoppage time. However, they eventually exited the competition by losing a penalty shoot-out 4-2.

There is a vital top-flight encounter to be played here on Friday night and Nuno Espírito Santo’s team selection certainly showed which was the most important of the two games in his mind. The Head-Coach made five changes from the team that lost at Aston Villa a fortnight ago, with Alphonse Areola being preferred to Mads Hermansen in goal with the Dane given the afternoon off, meaning backup was provided by youngster Finlay Herrick.

Kyle Walker-Peters, Max Kilman, Adama Traoré and Soungoutou Magassa all came into the starting line-up and took the places of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Konstantinos Mavropanos who were not involved in the matchday squad, while both Tomáš Souček and Pablo Felipe dropped to the bench.

There was a rather youthful look amongst the home substitutes which included Mohamadou Kanté, Oliver Scarles, Airidas Golambeckis, Keiber Lamadrid and Joshua Ajala. There was no reunion with his former club for winger Crysencio Summerville, but there was a place on the away bench for former West Ham player Sam Byram.

Despite a raucous atmosphere inside the stadium before kick-off, it certainly changed once the action got underway, as the home side were slow to get going and didn’t really have any rhythm to their play. They were on the back-foot within the first two minutes. After failing to clear a long throw, Noah Okafor was given space to send a curling shot towards goal but thankfully for the home faithful, their French goalkeeper managed to get a fingertip on the ball to keep his effort out.

There were then two golden chances for the Irons but unfortunately, they weren’t able to take advantage. Captain Jarrod Bowen and Valentín Castellanos combined and the Argentine was inches away from putting his team ahead but somehow, visiting goalkeeper Lucas Perri got a vital touch on the ball. Minutes later, Bowen himself was denied by the Brazilian, as the stopper was also in the way of the home skipper’s powerful effort, following a great move from Traoré to set him up.

Espírito Santo’s side may have had their chances, but they were few and far between, as Daniel Farke’s side dominated proceedings. The defence were able to block a shot from Anton Stach, while James Justin also tried his luck but thankfully, his effort evaded everyone and went wide.

The resulting corner fortunately came to nothing, but the visitors did make the breakthrough after twenty six minutes. A great team move involving Justin, Okafor and Ao Tanaka resulted in the Japanese striker shooting and the effort taking a deflection off Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi and into the back of the net via the crossbar. Areola had no chance as the ball looped over his head on its way in.

The West Yorkshire side were looking to make the tie safe just after the half-hour mark, but when Okafor set Stach away, he could only shoot straight at Areola.

Leeds went on the attack again however, their latest foray up-field was halted unfairly, thanks to a challenge on Okafor by Kilman. A VAR review then took place to see if any further punishment should be carried out but, having looked at the evidence, the officials decided it was just a coming together. Nevertheless, the German couldn’t continue and was replaced by Brenden Aaronson.

Castellanos went close before half-time, but he unfortunately made a hash of his attempt after meeting El Hadji Malick Diouf’s cross.

Those Irons’ fans in attendance had not seen their team lose here since the defeat to Nottingham Forest back on 6 January and although they had decent spells, there were boos when referee Craig Pawson blew for half-time, due to their overall performance.

Espírito Santo was aware of this and made a double change at the break by introducing Souček and Felipe to take the places of Magassa and Freddie Potts.

The half-time words of wisdom from the Head-Coach did seem to spark a reaction from his players, as Felipe and Castellanos combined well to set up Bowen. The skipper then played the ball back to the Argentine who took the shot on, but it missed the target.

Seven minutes into the second-half, Leeds made their second change of the afternoon, as Sebastiaan Bornauw swapped places with Joe Rodon.

Castellanos was in the thick of the action again after being set up by Traoré. He looked certain to score but his diving header from close-range came back off the post.

Minutes later, Bowen had another go however, his venomous effort was well blocked and a corner was awarded.

It was one of those days when nothing was coming off for the hosts and with fifteen minutes of normal time left to play, their hopes of making it to Wembley for the first time since 2006 appeared to be all over when Kilman again committed a dangerous challenge. This time, Aaronson felt the full force of the defender.

Pawson initially gave nothing but was asked to review his decision on the pitchside monitor. On this occasion, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender wasn’t quite so fortunate, when another lengthy VAR check confirmed that visitors were to be awarded a penalty. Kilman was also booked for the offence.

Former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was earlier thrown into the fray as part of a triple change by Farke, as he replaced Lukas Nmecha, while Ilia Gruev and Wilfried Gnonto both came on for Tanaka and Okafor. Calvert-Lewin took responsibility for the spot-kick and made no mistake.

With minutes to go, Farke’s men went in search of another goal that would have ended the tie as a contest and they had numerous chances to find it too. Gnonto, Jaden Bogle and Bornauw all went close but thankfully Areola wasn’t beaten.

The large home support were given huge encouragement when eleven minutes of stoppage time were added and just three of those had gone when they saw their team grab what they thought would only be a consolation. Mateus Fernandes followed up after Bowen’s shot had hit the post and the volume had been turned up a notch.

When Disasi met Traoré’s cross and then put the ball past Perri, cue pandemonium!!! From nowhere and for a fourth consecutive FA Cup tie this season, West Ham had forced extra-time.

Just seconds in, the noise level went up again as they thought that they had completed the most dramatic of comebacks when in Castellanos put the ball into an empty net and left Perri helpless. However, their joy was short lived, as the VAR officials ruled his goal out for offside.

Having got themselves back level, the East Londoners were in no mood to give up and they were now the team trying to cement a semi-final place in just under three weeks. Having said that though, Leeds were equally as determined to re-establish their lead. The packed out away end saw Justin try his luck but thankfully for the majority still left in the stadium, Souček initially produced a vital block, before Areola also thwarted him.

Gnonto and Gruev also missed chances, as they too weren’t able to find the winner.

West Ham then had another goal disallowed, as offside was given against Felipe after Bowen had again hit the post.

The first fifteen minutes of the extra thirty had been completed and both managers saw the break in play as an ideal opportunity to make further alterations. Espírito Santo made a double switch with both Scarles and Kanté being introduced for Diouf and Castellanos, while Farke sent on Joël Piroe for Bogle.

Kanté went on to waste another chance for the hosts, before they were dealt the biggest blow of all when they lost Areola to what looked like a serious injury and he was replaced by Herrick.

Due to Areola’s unknown injury, more stoppage time was added and Espírito Santo made use of his final substitution, as Traoré was withdrawn and Ezra Mayers took his place. No further goals were scored in the extra period, meaning the winners would be decided on penalties.

They were taken in front of the West Ham supporters and it was fair to say that they were delighted when Herrick saved from Piroe but not so when Bowen was unusually kept out by Perri.

The following five spot kicks were all converted with ease, before Felipe stepped up to keep his side in the tie but unfortunately, Perri made the save and ended West Ham’s run in this year’s competition. Matters now turn back to the Premier League and if the ever-loyal fan base thought a point against Manchester City was big, then Friday night’s encounter against rock bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers is even bigger.